Pallet and skid reinforcement



Jan. 7, 1958 PQEQcLAus PALLET AND SKID REINFORCEMENT Filed July 27, 1953JNVENToR. PAUL E. CLAUS HUM/ufr "zgssisiz y Y PALLET AND sKmRElNFoRcElvrEN'r Paul E. `Claus, Kirkivodflllo., aissilghor, 'bymesnefas- Asigmnents, to'Croyvn Zellerbachfoi'portion, San Francisco,Calif., a coxpbrationf Nevada 'Appiieation July 27, 195s,`seria1 No.370,403

11 clarin fouillis- 4" invention appertains to asupport'for a shippingcontainer and more `particularly toa supp-ort forla receptacle for`relatively'heavy articles *positioned upon aski'd Vmember havinglportionsinsidethe receptacle 'and other portions exteriorally of thevreceptacle. p

A common method. of shipping relatively heavy, 'bulky `articles is toplace theitemto be supported, upona rigid, heavy-duty framefor'supportand then position.`a"re1a tively light, open bottom containersbdy overthe contents and the supporting member. Still another inethod ofshipping articles of this Vtype is to `place the'itemupon a supportingframe and l'place both within -"a closed container. p

In many applicationspsuch as the `shipping of consumer items, includingstoves,refrigerators*and hotwatcr heaters and the like, itis"important-(to provide every possible protection for the contents.Obviously, the openbottom containerdoescnot provide "protection againstmoisture, dirt and-other foreign substances.` p y It is alsojdesirabletoprovidefa Asupporting 'member which will elevate thecontents sulicentlyto permit entry beneath, of `the lifting'elements orffork rticks andthelike. l t is equally app'arentthat the'containeryyhich completelyencloses the endend-the article `teunsuitable fo p e with modern liftingequipment. Therefore,"it is anbjectof this invention to provide acompletely sealed container for relatively large, heavy articles andmeans for rigidly supporting the contents and elevating the container topermit entry of lifting elements.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a heavy-dutycontainer for articles of the type described, employing a supportingframe within the container and an elevating skid positioned on theoutside of the container, the supporting frame and the elevating skid being lrmly connected together through the bottom of the closure of thecontainer. These and other objects of the invention will be apparentupon an understanding of the detailed description which follows.

In the accompanying drawings which form a part of this specification,like numerals and symbols refer to like parts wherever they occur.

Fig. l is a side, perspective View of a container em ploying thisinvention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view of the container taken through section 2-2of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of a preferred form of a con.- tainer bottomemploying this invention;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged, detailed, vertical section of one of the bottomcorners of another embodiment of a container employing this invention.

The exterior container A, illustrated in Fig. 1 consists of a bodymember 11 having vertical side walls 12. Each side wall 12 is providedalong its top and bottom edges with foldably connected end marginal aps13. The container A, which is illustrated, is provided with a topclosure member 14 and a similar bottom closure member 15. The topclosure member 14 employs a top panel 16 adapted to tit over the upperportion of the body ce Patented Jan. 7, 1958 member 11. The top panel 16is likewise provided with top sideanges 17 foldably connected along itsside margins. Each top"'side flange 17 is provided with a foldablyconnected top side ap 18.

In a similar manner, the bottom closure member 15 is'provided with abottom panel 19 having side scores 2l) which dene foldably connectedbottom side flanges 21. Intermediate scores 22 define foldably connectedbottom Vside ilaps 23. Supporting pieces 24, preferably constructedof`wood or similar rigid material, are placed on the upper,'innersurface of the bottom panel 19. In the embodiment illustrated, thesupporting skids 24 are spaced aparta distancesuitable to receive thelegs 25 of the `article tobe carried. For purposes of illustration, ahot `water`heater having three supporting legs is illustrated. Thesupporting skids 24 may be positioned and spaced in any `desired mannerso as' to conform with the legs or other supporting "elements ofthearticles to be carried.

ln the embodiment illustrated, the supporting pieces 24 are providedwith suitablypositionedopenings 26 to receive the leg members 25. Theremaining supporting leg `25 ofthe figures illustrated will rest uponthe top of the bottom panel `19as illustrated in Fig. 2. The openings26"prevent the larticle carried from shifting or otherwise moving withinthe container during transit.

As most clearly shown in Fig. `2, supporting strips 27 arepositionedagainst the .underface of the bottom panel 19.` It isdesirable to position the supporting strips '2'7 so that they aredirectly beneath the supporting legs 25. It is also desirable, ifpossible, to position the supporting "strips`27 inparallel relation toeach other so that spaces or voids, extending the width of thecontainer, are available. As illustrated in Fig.` 3,'it is desirablethat at least two of the supporting members 27' are positioned adjacenttheopposedouter margins of the bottom panel 19. The supporting skids 24and the supporting strips 27 may be connected together by fastenings 28which extend through `the members and the bottom panel 19 at the points.of intersection. Any desired type of fastening device may be used, aslong as the skids 24 and the strips 27 are lxed with respect to eachother and with respect to the panel 19. It has been found that astandard carriage bolt of suitable length is satisfactory. The bottomassembly is now in position for use.

When the supporting skids 24 and the supporting strips 27 are securedtogether in the manner described, an extremely sturdy and rigid unit isprovided. This occurs because the relatively thin bottom panel ispositioned between the members 24 and 27 and firmly held so that it willnot bend or deflect. The panel 19 has a great resistance to forces in ahorizontal plane, hence, the entire bottom unit is substantiallystrengthened and rigidized. In this manner an unusual reinforcement isobtained by utilizing a member which also effectively seals the bottomof the container.

The assembly is placed upon any suitable base such as a floor, table orconveyor. The article to be supported is then lowered onto the assemblyso that the legs 25 are positioned within the openings 26. The openings26 of the container is then slipped over the article and downward ontothe bottom side flanges 21. The bottom end marginal flaps 13 are thenbent substantially vertically upwardly into spaced parallel relationshipwith the adjacent side walls 12. The bottom side flanges 21 are thenfolded upwardly about the side scores 20 into substantially ilatwiserelation with the vertically positioned bottom end marginal iiaps 13.The bottom side llaps 23 are then bent inwardly and downwardly about"thel intermediate scores 22 into position between the adjacent.

marginal end flaps 13 and the side walls 12 as illustrated in Fig. 2. Asteel strap 29 or any other suitable securing means such as wire, rope,etc., is positioned around between the side flanges 21 as shown in Figs.1 and 2. The securing means 29 is then tightened in place. The bottomclosure 15 is thus firmly and immovably secured to the body member 11.

The top closure 14 may then be placed upon the upper portion of the bodymember 11. In a similar manner the end margin flaps 14 are foldeddownwardly in spaced parallel relation with the adjacent side walls 12,and the top side iianges 17 are then folded downwardly intosubstantially vertical relation. The top side aps 18 are folded inwardlyinto interlocking relationship between the previously positioned top endmarginal flaps 13 in the adjacent side wall 12. Similarly, a steel strap29, or other securing means, is tightened in place around the positionedtop side ianges, as shown in Fig. l.

The completed container is now packed and ready for shipment. Thesupporting strips 27 elevate the bottom panel 19 a suicient distanceabove the supporting surface so as to permit the entry of liftingelements.

Various other types of containers may employ this invention. Forinstance, a container having a body member 11, with top and bottomclosure aps instead of the top and bottom closures 14 and 15, might alsoutilize the invention.

Still other variations may be used. For instance, as illustrated in Fig.4 in this embodiment of the container, the hereinbefore described bottomclosure 15 is employed. The container side walls 12 are foreshortenedand the bottom side flanges 21 are extended so as to permit an extension31 of the supporting skids 24 to be positioned beneath the side walls 12as illustrated. In this embodiment, the bottom of the side walls 12 ispositioned snugly against the upper surface of the extension 31. In thismanner, the supporting pieces 24 are held firmly in position in thecontainer, therefore, providing additional strength and security to thepackage. In other respects, the bottom closure 15 of the embodimentillustrated in Fig. 4 is similar to the arrangement illustrated in Figs.1 and 2.

In order to more/.rmly anchor the steel strap 29 or ...other bandingmeans, it may be desirable to provide the top side anges 17 and thebottom side anges 21 with end notches 32. The notches 32 prevent thebanding means from sliding olf of the closure member during transit.

While the invention has been illustrated and described in detail in thedrawings and the foregoing description, the same is to be consideredillustrative and not restrictive in character.

What I claim as my invention is:

in a shipping package comprising a paperboard container having anarticle therein, the container comprising connected together uprightside walls and a bottom closure panel secured to the side walls, and aninterior, article engaging skid formed of a plurality of relativelynarrow slat members, each of the slats being spaced apart and incontacting relationship with adjacent interior portions of the bottompanel, supporting members comprised of spaced apart runners incontacting relationship with adjacent exterior portions of the panel andat substantially right angular overlapping relationships with portionsof the slats and with portions of the bottom panel tixed between theoverlapping portions of the slats and the supporting member, there beingan opening in at least two slats, the openings being directly over theoverlapping portions of the slats and the supporting members thusproviding closed bottoms for the openings, at least two legs of thearticle having the ends thereof in the said openings so as to preventlateral movement of the article in and relative to the container, andmeans securing the slats and supporting members to the bottom panel.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,015,683 Jensen Ian. 23, 1912 2,177,933 Boeye Oct. 3l, 1939 2,321,063Bohnke June 8, 1943 2,326,928 Courson Aug. 17, 1943 2,418,868 Cole etal. Apr. 15, 1947 2,575,784 Baumann Nov. 20, 1951 2,670,984 Arthur Mar.2, 1954 2,730,287 Mueller Ian. 10, 1956

